The midges can be absolute hell and can ruin a day. I go up near the Kyle of Sutherland every year and go fishing a few days. A damp morning with no wind, near trees on the riverbank can be torture, even with a midge net the little [censored]get inside, some people get quite a reaction to midge bites with their whole face swelling up. They are the worst thing about Scotland, i dont mind the weather as i am no heat lover 

Seem better to visit during Scotland sunny weather or go in Winder to Spring time if good weather or to se the snow.  There no midges in the town and cities I think.

The weather here in fulham today Thursday  has taken a dramatic change for the worse constant grey skies cool breeze and temperatures dropping quickly this evening one wonders if this is a start  of a sustained spell of usual cloudy skies eminating from the SW ….something  we often have had in recent summers? Apart from the weekend.  next week looks pretty awful especially from a sun and temperature point of view

The weather here in fulham today Thursday  has taken a dramatic change for the worse constant grey skies cool breeze and temperatures dropping quickly this evening one wonders if this is a start  of a sustained spell of usual cloudy skies eminating from the SW ….something  we often have had in recent summers? Apart from the weekend.  next week looks pretty awful especially from a sun and temperature point of view

Take the temperatures of 40C 2 days ago occurred in the 90's.  It would start with sunny spells and average temperatures from 22-23C, then 25, 27, 30C, 33, 35, 38C and 40 all sunny,  Storms come over night to early morning, next day drop to 30C with becoming fresher and sunnier then next day back to 23-25C days.  Nowadays is overcast and cold with high teen temps then shoot to 27C, 38C and 40C then drop to 24C and today 17C and overcast.  Getting a 40C is a test if we can get storms, but nothing but in the hurry to get back to winter type cold overcast days for no reason while rest of Europe still warm to hot.  

 

 

They like a certain type of environment - acidic, wet/damp, plenty of tree cover/shade. With the abundance of lochs; peaty, boggy land; rain and forests, Scotland is ideal, especially Western/North-Western. 

But you also find them in huge numbers in parts of Scandinavia.

And in parts of Canada - I was once told by a Canadian that you could lie down in the long grass there and listen to the dragonflies passing to and fro overhead chomping on the midges. (No, he wasn't descended from Baron Munchausen)

Booked today off to go try out our new paddleboards. All week the forecast for Anglesey was about 19c and sunny. Hardly warm, but we have wetsuits. 

Overnight the weather gods have gone "nah, scrub that; have some rain instead, and we'll take 2/3c off the temperature, too"

The alternative was the Lakes, but that's just as bad.

Looking at the forecast for our week in Scotland, it just gets worse and worse - until the day before we're due to come home, when it looks like some lovely conditions will set in.

😖

It's gone from Kinshasa on Tuesday to Kirkwall now. Two of the most horrible climates on Earth 

Following the worst ever heatwave, on a par with the 'Beast From The East' as my biggest let-down weather event, it's a spell of rank, soul destroying cool grey overcast grot. A pointless grey blanket that just sits there doing absolutely nothing except ruining summer.

Cold grey and overcast yesterday afternoon and evening only for the grot to miraculously disappear at sunset but back in place by dawn to give an utterly repulsively cold, grey and sunless horror day. The story of summer 2012 

13.7C at noon. It's absolutely disgusting for what should be the warmest part of the year. I had hoped this might be the first month I've recorded without a sub-16C max but that's looking unlikely now. Happened several times in the 20th Century but not once since 2005. Not even in July 2006. Seems it's impossible to avoid notably cool days in summer now but, of course, not the same in winter 

May to July must be on course to be the dullest on record in Western Scotland and Northern Ireland. Stornoway has recorded a surreal total of 29 hours sun so far this month. That is less than you would expect in December here and in fact I recorded a higher daily average last December which was the dullest in my records. There are truly no words to describe how awful summers are becoming in Scotland. A massive deterioration from a very low bar sums it up 

We avoided the excessive cloud in the East during the second half of May and June but not anymore. No day with 13 hours sun this month, just two days with 10 hours, and almost certain to end up duller than average for the 7th year in 8. The worst run of July's in over 80 years. It's beyond depressing 

 

Seem better to visit during Scotland sunny weather or go in Winder to Spring time if good weather or to se the snow.  There no midges in the town and cities I think.

The problem is there never is any sunny weather in Scotland anymore, at least in the scenic parts. Highlands seem to have been stuck under a permanent blanket of overcast this year. Even when it's been sunny in the East the mountains seem stuck under relentless cloud.

I went to the Highlands for 10 days in May 2021 and the weather was disgusting. Barely saw the sun. It was ridiculously cold, dull and wet. One day had rain and 6C. Had a long weekend at Aviemore at the start of May this year and again barely any sun. Another day with rain and 6C 

That is supposed to be the best time of year to visit and all you get are conditions no different to mid-winter. 

Only time I would ever have got good weather was in August 2020 when I had a long weekend booked in Glencoe. It was 25C but the rancid dictator at Bute House put us under a ridiculous lockdown over a trivial number of Covid cases so couldn't go. Seemed preposterous at the time. No words for it now.

To rub salt into the wounds I ended up stuck here enduring the worst week of August weather I've ever experienced. Endless grey skies, 4 hours of sun and 15C highs 

Well under our severe weather warning we had a lovely day, warm calm, 5 minutes of rain, a few drops and all in all a wasted day waiting for the forecast to happen, which it didn't,  again.

Booked today off to go try out our new paddleboards. All week the forecast for Anglesey was about 19c and sunny. Hardly warm, but we have wetsuits. 

Overnight the weather gods have gone "nah, scrub that; have some rain instead, and we'll take 2/3c off the temperature, too"

The alternative was the Lakes, but that's just as bad.

Looking at the forecast for our week in Scotland, it just gets worse and worse - until the day before we're due to come home, when it looks like some lovely conditions will set in.

😖

Models and BBC forecast suggested the best weather would be from mid-afternoon as the Western edge of the ppn would inch eastwards as the day wore on. So we delayed setting out.

Only got to the beach at 3pm. Was still overcast with a few bits of occasional light drizzle. No matter, we donned the 'suits and went in. The consolation was that the beach, a pretty remote one anyway, was deserted, barring the odd walker. 

Started brightening up from half-3'ish, and by half-4 the sky was blue and the sun streaming down. Still a bit cooler than I'd prefer (car read 19c when we got back at 6.30) but turned out much better than I was fearing. 

Stopped on the way back for a lovely pint at a great pub on the bank of the Menai. 

Now just need a few miracles for next weekend and the week following. Suspect that will be trickier!! 

Another godawful day of depressing featureless grey grot. Any other time of year it would start sunny and then cloud over during the morning but because it's summer it's rotten and grey with no sun the entire day  Just 14.8C 

Sick to death of having to endure more of this crud during the height of summer than there ever is in winter  Today is the worst it's been. Dank, dull and horrible.

Turning into one of the worst months ever now thanks to this revolting weekend weather. Just one good Saturday out of four so far and one good Sunday out of three. Contrast this with June which was one of the best and had 3 good Saturdays out of 4 and 2 1/2 good Sundays.

Even the poor Saturday in June was miles better than the three stinking awful Saturdays we've had to endure this month.

Such a depressing July yet again and I doubt August will be any better. It never is 

Summer has stalled here for the last week or so. Near enough every day since the end of that intense heat has been cloudy with showers and upper teen temperatures. It seems to be a common theme around here for summer to deteriorate in the final third of July and that paves the way for usual poor August, before things tick back up again in September. I get a feeling this year is going the same way.

I'm noticing the nights drawing in now too. The last few days have been noticeably dull at this time, and now we're more than a month after the solstice, we're on a slippery slope.

 

The problem is there never is any sunny weather in Scotland anymore, at least in the scenic parts. Highlands seem to have been stuck under a permanent blanket of overcast this year. Even when it's been sunny in the East the mountains seem stuck under relentless cloud.

I went to the Highlands for 10 days in May 2021 and the weather was disgusting. Barely saw the sun. It was ridiculously cold, dull and wet. One day had rain and 6C. Had a long weekend at Aviemore at the start of May this year and again barely any sun. Another day with rain and 6C 

That is supposed to be the best time of year to visit and all you get are conditions no different to mid-winter. 

Only time I would ever have got good weather was in August 2020 when I had a long weekend booked in Glencoe. It was 25C but the rancid dictator at Bute House put us under a ridiculous lockdown over a trivial number of Covid cases so couldn't go. Seemed preposterous at the time. No words for it now.

To rub salt into the wounds I ended up stuck here enduring the worst week of August weather I've ever experienced. Endless grey skies, 4 hours of sun and 15C highs 

Last summer most of the picturesque parts of the highlands were bathed in anomalously high sunshine hours and some of their warmest weather on record. Meanwhile the South East of England was dull, humid and be of the worst summers for crop destroying mildew in decades. 

 

Last summer most of the picturesque parts of the highlands were bathed in anomalously high sunshine hours and some of their warmest weather on record. Meanwhile the South East of England was dull, humid and be of the worst summers for crop destroying mildew in decades. 

I remember that and even the midlands where I am staying get effected so what ever the SE weather get bad we get it here, even when there a heatwave we do very well like last week 40C here London 40C and in June London 32C and here 31C.  

BBC autimated was teasing me with most days being dry with some sunshine (if a cold 17c) for my hol.

Now the time is upon us, it's all "Naaaaahhhhhh, have rain instead, sucker!"

That just backs up the MO, which just slaps low pressure over the place for almost the duration.

Of course, the GFS then shows a high positioning & orienting iteself prfectly for the following week.

This really is the last time I have my main holiday in this shitforsaken country with its utterly crap climate.

BBC autimated was teasing me with most days being dry with some sunshine (if a cold 17c) for my hol.

Now the time is upon us, it's all "Naaaaahhhhhh, have rain instead, sucker!"

That just backs up the MO, which just slaps low pressure over the place for almost the duration.

Of course, the GFS then shows a high positioning & orienting iteself prfectly for the following week.

 

This really is the last time I have my main holiday in this shitforsaken country with its utterly crap climate.

That'll teach you let Aberdeen Richard come on holiday with you!

BBC autimated was teasing me with most days being dry with some sunshine (if a cold 17c) for my hol.

Now the time is upon us, it's all "Naaaaahhhhhh, have rain instead, sucker!"

That just backs up the MO, which just slaps low pressure over the place for almost the duration.

Of course, the GFS then shows a high positioning & orienting iteself prfectly for the following week.

 

This really is the last time I have my main holiday in this shitforsaken country with its utterly crap climate.

I have often wondered which is the least worst auto forecast.

BBC autimated was teasing me with most days being dry with some sunshine (if a cold 17c) for my hol.

Now the time is upon us, it's all "Naaaaahhhhhh, have rain instead, sucker!"

That just backs up the MO, which just slaps low pressure over the place for almost the duration.

Of course, the GFS then shows a high positioning & orienting iteself prfectly for the following week.

 

This really is the last time I have my main holiday in this shitforsaken country with its utterly crap climate.

Thought you won't go on holiday in here any more?  Gusty also quit taking UK holidays. I don't either too if there too much clouds, thanks but  no thanks, get lost UK cloudy climate.

Another day of soul destroying featureless grey nothingness that just sits there. Yet again it broke up overnight after a horrid grey day yesterday only for the ludicrous overcast grot to be back in place by dawn 

Absolutely ridiculous. The warmest time of the year and all we're getting is day after day of vile grey skies and temperatures 2-4C below average. Feels like late October, not late July, and will need to consider putting the heating on if there isn't improvement soon, as each dire overcast day further drains the house of warmth.

The only worse final third of July I can remember was the surreally awful end to July 2005 which was the start of all this nonsense. First 20 days had an average high of 20C and 8 hours sun per day - so miles better than the first two thirds of this extremely uninspiring July. Rest of the month average high of 14C and about 8 hours sun in total. Never experienced anything like it ever but now it's the sort of thing that's become an almost annual occurrence 

2011 maybe worse as well but thankfully I was abroad then as the second half of that month was ridiculously cool and grey. Even 2007 and 2012 were better at this stage.

There are just no clear skies at all. Not even at night. It's repulsive. Last sunny day was the 18th. Less than 20 hours of sun in the past week. Sunniest week of January had over 40 hours. Could see this crap coming a mile off because it's the same tripe every single year.

The exact sunshine total for the past week was 18.3 hours. Only 8 days throughout the whole of January and February had a lower rolling 7-day total. It's despicable 

There is no other period in history when summers were this bad. Stornoway must be on course to record the lowest ever July total anywhere in the UK. No idea what the current record is but surely can't be anywhere near as poor as the 36 hours that's been recorded there up to yesterday. Will have been boosted today though as one of the few places not being smothered by the rancid grey blanket.

Still looks clear over the Western Isles so likely to have had at least 12 hours. We need those clear skies to spread East but instead we have filth pumping up from the South/South East